Hot water heater

[Dave Dawe]

This may seem like a simple question - and I have owned my boat for 8 months now - but I have never had the need to look for it before. I can't figure out how to turn on the hot water heater while plugged in at the dock. I have a Seaward S600 and on the AC panel there is a water heater breaker, but it doesn't seem like the breaker itself will turn it on. Looking through the manual I can't find any reference to it. I must be missing something obvious. Tracing the wires is a bit of a dog's breakfast behind the panel. Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Dave

[tonywright]

Dave

When I took posession of my boat, the PO warned me to make sure that I never turn on the water heater when the tank has been drained for winterization (he stuck a label on the panel whenever the tank was empty). I have installed a special switch guard to help with this.

One possibility is that someone turned yours on when the tank was empty and fried the element. Just a thought.

Tony

[Ken Juul]

I think at some point in the production line they switched the breakers.  But on my 1990 model, the it is a combined CB and switch.  Push in till it clicks, is on, push again till it clicks and it pops out for off.  If the CB pops while it is on it automatically returns to the out position.

[Craig Illman]

Dave - From your hull number, I assume you have the push in/pop out breaker on your panel? It should energize with it pushed in (no white showing). Is that the position you're trying? If so, you might want to disconnect the wiring at the heater, confirm with a multimeter that 120V is reaching the heater. Also, check continuity through the heater element to make sure it's not burned out or there may be a tripped overload breaker at the heater itself?

I've found that keeping an inexpensive multimeter onboard is pretty handy.

Craig

[jfssail]

Dave, The high temperature limit switch may need re-setting if temperatures have reached 170F in the heater. There is metal cover plate  under some cardboard and glass insulation on this heater. Disconnect the power and uncover the heater controls. There is a reset button on the temp. limit switch. The temp control switch might also need to be replaced. You can buy replacements for both from Seward for about $60. If the temp control switch is bad, controls water at 140F, It could be replaced with a home hot water heater control for $10 that allows you to set your own temperature. I did the latter and extended the high temp limit switch by drilling the metal cover plate and placing a plastic rod thru it, allowing the limit switch to be reset without removing the cover plate, insulation and insulation cover.
While the heater element cover is off, you will want to check the heater element resistance to insure the element has not failed. Then again, you may find it simpler to buy a new heater from Defender for $200 plus shipping if your heater is the original and 16 years old based on your hull number.

Jack F Stewart
1993 C36 #1233 "Windancer"
Port Clinton, OH

[Stu Jackson]

Dave, if your question, as I read it, is simply how to turn it on, then Ken's right, also have your AC main breaker on. 

The Manual can be found here:  http://www.c34.org/manuals/1988/1988-C34-Owners.pdf

Look at PDF page 33 (dwg 4.2.6) for the wiring diagram.

[Dave Dawe]

Thanks all for the rapid response. Now I know where to look to track down the problem as opposed to looking for another switch.

Dave

[Hawk]

Dave,
In case you do need a new breaker on the panel (as I did) see this thread from John:


  "    Re: Electrical Stuff
« Reply #3 on: July 13, 2007, 12:33:50 AM » Quote 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The thermal breakers made by ETA I believe are a drop-in replacement, or maybe even the original manufacturer, of the push-on/push-off breakers used in the older(?) C34 panels. There are multiple pole breakers available in this general configuration, but they are lots larger in size and price. In a boat full of single pole breakers, I don't think it is worth the trouble and money to go to 2 pole breakers anywhere but the main AC input breaker.

The root part number for the ETA breaker with P-on/P-off switching, a 3/8" treaded mounting neck, and push-on .25" spade terminals is 2-5700-iG1-P10-DD-xxA, where "xx" is the breaker amperage rating. They are available from both Allied Electronics ( www.alliedelec.com ) and DigiKey ( www.digikey.com ) They cost less than $20 each. You can check online stock at either web site. You can also go to www.e-t-a.com and go to the Product section and then to the link for "Distributor Stock", enter the 2-5700 root part number, and you will get a maybe-current listing of who has what and how many pieces of each.

Having said that, I am not a big fan of thermal breakers, particularly when used with .25" spade terminals such as used on the C34, and very particularly when using ratings higher than about 10 amps. As the burned wires and terminals will indicate if you look at your main, A/C, and water heater breakers in the older C34 panels, spade terminals + movement+ salt water + time = lots of bad electrical connections and lots of heat at the terminals and the breaker itself. At about 10 amps and below, they are usable but not great. I much prefer magnetic breakers like the Carling toggle series ( also better know to boaters as Blue Sea brand toggle breakers sold through WM and others ).

If you must stick to the thermal breakers for size compatibility, you can improve reliability by going to the screw terminal version of the ETA breaker and have a better chance of keeping the power connections tight over a longer period of time. Just substitute "K10" for "P10" in the part number.

By the way, the sudden failure of thermal breakers in the C34 in high current circuits is very common as some of our boats get older. My main breaker on Otra Vez went from allowing the A/C to work normally one day to popping as soon as I turned on the A/C compressor the next day. I replaced the breaker and all was well."



I ordered the breakers from Nedco Electronics in USA.

Also as mentioned, check the push in temp re-set button located under the metal cover plate. If the water temp gets too high usually after motoring, the re-set button pops out. Try pushing it back in.
Tom

The message is from this link -- http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,364.0.html

[Ron Hill]

Dave : I suspect that you may have a burned out element, however make sure that you have 115ac power at the heater. 
With the shore power main breaker ON remove the ac wire cover on the water heater itself. Play with your Water Heater Breaker and with a Vmeter see if you are getting any power to the heater.  If you don't have power then you probably have a bad breaker/bad connection.  If you have power there then your element is most likely bad. 
Hope this helps.

[Stu Jackson]

Dave

A picture of the push button switch is in a picture I posted on a completely unrelated subject here: http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,2620.0.html

See reply #9